


do minotaurs dream of ships on the shore?

by SamCyberCat



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Study, Gen, Mostly Platonic, Pre-Canon, but shippy if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 22:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28874727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamCyberCat/pseuds/SamCyberCat
Summary: The Bull of Minos indulges in his first dream, only to find that he has nothing to dream about. Fortunately for him, Hypnos is good at improvising.
Relationships: Asterius | The Minotaur & Hypnos (Hades Video Game), Asterius | The Minotaur/Hypnos (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 98





	do minotaurs dream of ships on the shore?

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing Hades fic, but I'm hoping to do a lot more in the near future. Thought I'd warm up with a simple oneshot about Asterius and Hypnos.

If all you have ever known is walls and darkness, when you close your eyes, you will see the same. Yet there is little time to close your eyes in the Labyrinth. For each day brings the promise of a new challenger and thus Asterius needs to be prepared. For some who face him are nobler than others. Some of the so-called warriors who enter the Labyrinth will not hesitate to sneak up upon the Minotaur as he sleeps, in the hope of an easy victory.

Asterius has never granted any of them any kind of victory.

Yet it has been a few weeks now since the last warrior was slain by him. He wonders if they are preparing someone stronger, for he doubts that Greece will have given up on its attempts to slay him. But here in the Labyrinth, he has no way of knowing. All Asterius can do is watch the days becomes nights overhead and stalk through these winding corridors, each new turn bringing the same. It is so easy to get lost when everything looks like what you've left behind.

In the wake of the silence, he deems it acceptable to rest for a short while. For as wrong as it is to lower one's guard, it is just as foolish to enter a battle while exhausted. One must always be prepared.

He sleeps with one eye open. He always has. But perhaps on this eve, he is ever more exhausted by usual, his paranoia at the growing lack of challengers draining him more than he realised.

Tonight, Asterius truly sleeps for the first time.

The notion of dreams is lost on him. What could he even imagine, when he has seen nothing? Perhaps Ariadne or the king who placed him here. But it has been so long that Asterius is no longer certain that he can recall their faces.

It turns out that Asterius isn't the only being who has this question, however.

Someone appears in his dream who Asterius can say for certain that he's never met before. A bright figure fades in out of the gloom, white hair and red robes standing out amongst them. The figure has nothing in common with the many warriors who Asterius has faced. Instead of firm muscles and proud stances, this figure is long and slim, bent over as he drifts in the air.

So, a god, then. A god has visited Asterius. He knows not why.

“Aren't you gonna ask? I'm Hypnos, by the way. And I know who you are, Bull of Minos.”

The god's voice is high and afflicted in a way that Asterius has never heard before. Although, for all he knows, gods may all sound different to mortals. He has never experienced one before or even given them much thought. His knowledge of them comes from the fruitless prayers of warriors. None of them pray to Hypnos; not that he recalls.

“Why are you here, slender god?”

Asterius's own voice is a low rumble, hoarse from so long in disuse. It isn't as if those who challenge him ever wish to hold a conversation with the dreaded Minotaur.

The god called Hypnos stretches out, form becoming even longer for a moment, before he folds back in on himself.

“I guess I was curious about what the bulls dreams about, too. You've never truly slept before, so I've never been able to get you,” Hypnos answers, “I generally don't visit mortal dreams personally. Don't want to get in the way, y'know? Mom'll be _soo_ mad if she finds out, but I just couldn't go on not knowing. There's only one of you, after all.”

Only one abomination, born of queen and bull. Certainly that is true.

Asterius gestures around to the deep green gloom. It is nothing. It is the Labyrinth, same as when he wakes.

“Is this what you expected to see?” he asks.

“It's kinda boring, huh? Guess you don't got a lot to go on,” Hypnos agrees. Then he suddenly looks delighted, his face splitting into a broad smile, “Why, I bet my being here is the most interesting thing that's ever happened to you.”

“You are unlike any that I have seen before,” Asterius agrees.

“Hah! That's a good one. But I feel kinda bad for you, bull. Tell you what, just let me know what you want to see and I'll bring it to you.”

The world is vast and Asterius has seen so little of it. He's barely even heard stories of the wonders it has to offer. He supposes that he could ask to see Ariadne, but what good would a pretend version of her bring him? He could not truly see if she has grown up safe and healthy, if she is living her life to the best that she can, under the restrictions that her father has placed upon her. Asterius has no desire for comforting lies.

Of course, there is also the King of Minos. But Asterius has known for a long time that he does not even hold a revenge fantasy for the king. Asterius has fought and killed so many that one more man would make little difference, even the man responsible for Asterius being in this place.

Does Asterius even want to leave the Labyrinth, to be free in a society where he is deemed a monster? No, that would only bring more suffering. The only freedom that Asterius has is for his life to end. He will wait here until that day comes.

Thus, after a long moment of thought, he has no answer to give Hypnos.

“There is nothing.”

If Asterius suspects that this will prompt Hypnos to lose interest in him and leave, then he is wrong. By contrast, Hypnos only seems more intrigued, a tinge of sympathy in his eyes, even if that smile never leaves his face.

“You might be surprised to hear this, but I get that a lot,” Hypnos says, “When given the choice of anything, you'd be surprised how many people suddenly forget everything they've ever wanted. Then again, you don't even know what you're missing, do you? Lemme give you a taster. Consider it a custom job, from me to you.”

There is not time for Asterius to prepare. The next thing he knows, the dim, moist walls of the Labyrinth disappear, immediately replaced by the blinding light of the sun. Asterius has never felt its raw strength upon him so harshly. He draws his massive hands up to cover his eyes, needing to blink back watery tears for a few moments until they adjust.

Hypnos stays silent, watching him intently as Asterius uncovers his eyes. When he does, Asterius is greeted by a vast, pale beach, with white waves lapping at the shore. He has never felt sand beneath his feet before, but he has heard the birds calling and smelled the salt on their air from when he's wandered near the walls of the Labyrinth that are closest to the edge.

On the bank, bleached grass blows about in the light breeze and a few flowers hold on, despite the crisp air. Asterius admires that these flowers hold beauty as well as strength. They are unlike him.

He does not speak for a long while, but Hypnos can tell it's because he's appreciating these unfamiliar sights. Even so, there's only so long that Hypnos can stay silent himself.

“Pretty neat, huh? And this isn't so far outside of your Labyrinth. You could literally walk here, if you ever found the door.”

These are most likely intended to be words of comfort. Yet they are not received that way. Asterius shakes his massive head.

“It is not for me. Not even to visit.”

“But if you visit in a dream, it doesn't affect anything. No farmers or kings or anyone else to stop the bull-man from wandering wherever he likes,” Hypnos reasons.

To travel the land unhindered... That has never been an option before. Perhaps it is a pretty lie, but if it is one in which Asterius is bothering no one, then what harm could come of it?

He turns to face Hypnos properly now. The sand cushions the movement of his feet in a way that the earth in the Labyrinth does not. Asterius cannot understand why this god would grant him such an honour, save for curiosity. Whatever his reasons, Hypnos is kind to do this. Asterius finds himself lowering onto one knee, bowing before Hypnos in a way that he has never bowed to any.

It seems this has a strange affect on the god, who suddenly comes across flustered, waving his skinny arms around in the air.

“H-hey, come on! No need be like that. This wasn't even that much effort for me,” Hypnos stammers, his pale face darkening for reasons Asterius does not understand.

“But for me, this is more kindness than I have ever been shown,” Asterius says, “I cannot sleep often, but if you were to grant me even one more of these dreams, then I would be grateful, slender god.”

“In that case, you got a deal. Next time you grab some shut-eye, I'll be there, you've got my word. Oh, but it looks like you're gonna be pretty busy very soon.”

Hypnos looks past Asterius now, out to the ocean. Asterius follows his gaze, turning and rising to his feet as he sees something that he immediately knows, despite having never seen one for himself. A ship broaches the horizon, sailing towards the shore. It has been a while, but Asterius knew that they would send another to face him eventually.

“Another warrior...” he mutters.

“Yeah, but you've got nothin' to worry about,” assures Hypnos, “Some prince, Theseus or something. I was checking out his dreams on the way over and it's just the usual – fame, glory, impress his dad. He doesn't stand a chance against _the Bull of Minos.”_

There's a certain dreamy quality to that last part that Asterius, once again, does not understand. Yet he is grateful for the god's support all the same.

“Then I shall rose myself from this slumber and prepare to face him.”

“And when it's over... you'll come back?” Hypnos asks, hopefully.

“The moment I close my eyes, I shall return.”

With that promise, Asterius feels the waking world tugging back at him, taking him away from Hypnos. The bright beach is replaced by the eternal Labyrinth once more, although the darkness does not bring Asterius any comfort. But it is his fate to be here and perhaps for the first time ever, he may have something to look forward to in these apparently simple fantasies that Hypnos promises to grant him.

All he needs to do is slay a single prince.

And so, Asterius readies his axe and stomps through the Labyrinth, not knowing that the next time he closes his eyes, it will be Death that greets him instead of Sleep.


End file.
